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Short Hills, NJ-based Dun & Bradstreet and Malibu, CA-based Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business Management have released new data showing how women-owned small businesses stack up against the national average for accessing capital.

While Q3 2016 results from the Private Capital Access (PCA) Index show that women-owned businesses are feeling more optimistic for growth compared to other businesses, the Q4 2016 study shows that small businesses - particularly women-owned businesses - have been cautiously optimistic about 2017. The Q4 study also features data showing that women-owned businesses are feeling more optimistic for growth compared to other businesses.

However, they’re feeling more restricted when it comes to accessing capital.

Other key facts include:

•Sixty nine percent of women-owned businesses were planning to hire in the next six months (compared to a 61 percent national average), according to the Q3 study.

•Sixty seven percent of women-owned businesses were in need of financing due to planned growth (compared to a 59 percent national average), according to the Q3 study.

•However, 69 percent of women-owned businesses felt the current business environment has restricted their ability to grow (compared to 57 percent national average), according to the Q4 report.

•And 62 percent of women-owned businesses further felt the ability to hire new employees has been hindered by the current business environment (compared to 49 percent national average), according to the Q4 results.

The full reports can be seen at bschool.pepperdine.edu/about/people/faculty/appliedresearch/research/pcmsurvey/pca-index.